


Aftermath

by JazzForYourSoul



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst ish kinda???, Man I hope I'm doing this right, Minor description of wounds and injuries, Other, Reader Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 01:24:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3591093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzForYourSoul/pseuds/JazzForYourSoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No buts. I'm safe and I'm here. And I'm going to keep protecting you. No matter what."<br/>You shudder and sigh, hastily wiping at your eyes. "Cheeseball."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Oh wow, hi ao3!!! This is the first time I've posted a public fanfic, please be gentle and polite with me. I decided to pop this out because 1.) I told tumblr user usotuya about an au I'm going to post and it's taking forever to write because I keep going back and rewriting bits so I wanted to write something for her in the meantime and 2.) I mostly dreamed this entire thing so it was pretty easy to write.  
> I actually tried posting this on Lunaescence but mehh. I might entirely move shop to here depending on how well recieved my junk is.  
> Anyways, hope you all like this.

The battle fought a few days ago had been long and harsh, but it had finally been won. Luffy overcame yet another impossible enemy and helped a lot of people in the process. Now your captain was resting while a few of the less injured crew members took care of a few things before you all set back out to sea.

You'd stayed behind on the ship today, limping around and tending to Usopp's pop greens for him. He'd been hurt pretty badly, particularly by a slash to the chest that could almost put the scar on Zoro's torso to shame. So in spite of some stitched up stab wounds and torn ligaments in your leg, you were trying to do whatever you could to make sure he wouldn't move around too much and rip his stitches. You felt responsible for his injuries anyways, so in your mind, it was only fair for it to be this way.

Satisfied with your work, you sit the watering can down and lean back to look at Usopp's little garden. The leaves rustle a bit in a soft breeze that blows by, stirring up the strange scent the plants produce and filling the air with it. You wrinkle your nose and decide to totter down the stairs to the deck to get away from the odd smell. Once you reach the bottom, you eye the book Robin left sitting in the swing seat for you in consideration then grab it and continue on to the men's quarters.

After sort of avoiding him for a while, it would be nice to sit with Usopp and read. You quietly slip into the room but he seems to immediately notice you. Usopp opens his eyes when he hears the door shut and flashes you a warm smile, then pats the empty spot on the bed next to him. Padding over, you crawl into the bed carefully, making sure to avoid bumping any of his injuries, and lie down. He curls his arm around you securely, sighing contentedly.

"How are you feeling?" He murmurs.

"Fine.” You reply, nuzzling closer against his chest and putting your book in an out-of-the-way spot. “Sore, but fine. What about you?"

He gives a short, weak laugh. "Pretty much the same I guess. I feel like a lump, lying around in bed all day.”

Just hearing how frail he sounds makes a ton of guilt hit you like a rock. You couldn't help but to feel that he wouldn't be hurt if it weren't for you. You cursed yourself for coming in here as the emotions you'd been internalizing for the past few days started to spill out. "I'm so sorry." Your voice quivers pathetically as hot tears fall down your cheeks. Usopp feels when you start to shiver and pulls you as close as possible, slowly stroking your hair.

"No, no, please don't cry. Everything is okay. We'll be alright."

"That was reckless though. Jumping in front of me like that. That attack could've killed you ..."

You thought back to the incident in question with a sickened knot in your stomach. The enraged enemy you'd fought got back up to deal a final attack and lunged at you, swords drawn. Before you could even react, Usopp had put himself between the two of you and let a shot fly. If he hadn't weakened the attack by countering it, the wounds he'd gotten would have been fatal. As it was now, he would definitely live and be alright, but the thought that he could have died protecting you was unbearable.

"Don't ever do that again." You mutter roughly. "Never again. I don't want to see you hurt like that because of me. I can't handle it."

When Usopp had hit the ground, wheezing and bleeding profusely, you blacked out. Next thing you knew, there was a severely beaten man sticking halfway out of a gaping hole in a nearby building and your raised foot was a pretty clear indicator of how he got there. Then you remembered heaving Usopp into your arms and running off, screaming for Chopper's help. Both him and Sanji came running to your aid and were visibly shocked when they caught sight of the state Usopp was in. Chopper whisked your injured partner away, leaving Sanji to try his best to comfort you. You'd felt so empty and utterly lost, breaking down on the spot.

Usopp's gentle voice breaks through the unpleasant memory. "What kind of brave warrior would I be if I let the person I loved the most get hurt?"

"But-"

"No buts. I'm safe and I'm here. And I'm going to keep protecting you. No matter what."

You shudder and sigh, hastily wiping at your eyes. "Cheeseball."

"Heheh. Love you too."


End file.
